Timiro Aabogunthane - Rāg Hameer - Rabindranath Tagore - M Balamuralikrishna (09)

Here is an unique audio offering of Dr Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna (BMK).

Rabindra Sangeeth (RS) as rendered by BMK, to commemorate the transition of the Poet and Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore on August 8, 1941.

Transcending the paradigm of Carnatic music, musician par excellence BMK, presents nine compositions that contribute to the uniqueness; it is that of staying true to the idiom of RS, not revealing at any point of a contrived effort to make it possible.

It is apt to recall here that BMK’s fascination for the poetry and music of Rabindranath Tagore is much older and distinctly evident from his enchanting rendition of a composition of Rabindranath Tagore’s Geetanjali - Aji basonto jagroto in rāga Bahār, translated into Telugu by Shri Balantrapu Rajanikanta Rao.

[This was a rendition from BMK’s live concert in early 1960s which has been uploaded earlier. Click here to listen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgdEmBdvQkA ]

Not many of us may be familiar with the lyrics in Bengali; but each syllable is distinctly heard, thanks to the diction and pronunciation by BMK. To thus help better comprehension and enhanced listening, English transliteration of each composition and its translation are also provided.

The rendition is with an orchestra; and together, it is most soothing and thoroughly melodious. With the little familiarity of certain words and the apt tunes of the compositions, the melodic import of the compositions can be discerned distinctly.

What stands out most prominently is the artiste BMK’s amazing versatility in exploring the unknown with a certain ease and poise. It is much different than what we are typically used to of BMK and his mastery of the idiom of Carnatic music. This is the uniqueness that was mentioned earlier.

The recording, it is believed, is a part of the repository of recordings of RS made for the purposes of posterity.

To enable listening with convenience, each day a composition will be posted for the next eight days.

Please take time to listen, enjoy and share your thoughts and feelings, for the benefit of all the other rasikas.

9. Timiro Aabogunthane - Rāg: Hameer

This song is from the collection “Prakriti” and was composed in 1921 by Rabindranath Tagore.
Here is an English transliteration of Bengali lyrics and a translation into English.
Timiro aabogunthane badon tabo dhaki
Ke tumi mamo angone darale akaki.

Aaji saghano sarbori, meghomagon tara,
Nodir jale jarjori jhoriche jalodhara,
Tamal bano marmori pabono chale haki.

Je katha mamo aantare aanicho tumi tani
Jani na kon mantore tahare dibo bani.

Roechi badha bandhone, chiribo, jabo bate
Jano e britha krandone e nisi nahi kate.

Kothin badha langhane dibo na aami phaki.

English Translation:

You cover yourself with veils of the dark.
Who you are who stands all alone in my yard.

In tonight's dark night, clouds are drenched with stars
Water rains and showers in river waters.
The dark trees murmur as wind blows through boulevard.
Those words which you draw into my heart.

I know not with which hymns shall I chant.
I am tied with ties, shall tear them, shall renounce.
Weeping in vain, this night never ends.

While traversing tough barriers I shall not disregard.
- Translated by Sri. Deepankar Choudhury

Acknowledgements:
1. We are immensely grateful to Geetabitan (রবীন্দ্র সঙ্গীতের সব কিছু), from where we have sourced the lyrics, translation and other details. Complete information and explanation of Tagore’s songs can be found in http://geetabitan.com/
2. Smt. Lakshmi Rao (daughter of Sri. Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna) for providing the cassette tapes of the original recording.
3. My team for their continued help and support in the restoration project of Rabindra Sangeeth.

Видео Timiro Aabogunthane - Rāg Hameer - Rabindranath Tagore - M Balamuralikrishna (09) канала Music for Posterity : Sreenivasa Murthy